Principal Software Engineer

1000 Bentley Systems, Incorporated; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bentley Impact Day

Recognition programs

Wellbeing initiatives

Global social impact

Job summary

Bentley Systems is seeking a visionary Principal Engineer to join our Cesium Native squad in Philadelphia. You will shape the core Cesium Native C++ libraries, optimizing for performance and modularity while enabling integrations with Unreal Engine, Unity and NVIDIA Omniverse.

You will lead technical direction, mentor senior engineers and collaborate with product leadership to define a multi-year roadmap, driving open-source innovation and high-quality code across platforms.

Qualifications

• Over 12 years of professional experience in 3D runtime or game engine development.
• Expert-level C++ development with a focus on API design, modularity and high performance.
• Leadership in the technical design and implementation of core engine components for Unreal Engine, Unity, or NVIDIA Omniverse.
• Strong understanding of graphics algorithms, spatial data structures and 3D mathematics.
• Experience debugging, profiling and optimizing complex multi-threaded graphics applications.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop and shape the core Cesium Native C++ libraries with emphasis on performance and clean API design.
• Drive research and implementation of novel 3D graphics algorithms for large-scale geospatial visualization.
• Enhance runtimes for high-performance streaming, LOD, and decoding massive datasets.
• Profile and debug the engine to remove performance bottlenecks across platforms.
• Set engineering standards and provide technical reviews and guidance.
• Mentor senior engineers and foster continuous improvement within the team.
• Collaborate with product management to define the multi-year Cesium Native roadmap.

Skills

C++ development

Graphics APIs

Open-source leadership

Mentoring engineers

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

3D math

Education

BS or MS in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Unreal Engine

Unity

NVIDIA Omniverse

Vulkan

DirectX 12

Metal

Job description

Location: Philadelphia, PA – Hybrid (3 days in a week – in office) No sponsorship is available for this role.

Position Summary: Cesium, as part of Bentley Systems, is setting the standard for 3D geospatial technology across diverse industries, from construction and engineering to defense and aerospace. With a thriving open-source community and millions of downloads, we are at the forefront of innovation. We are seeking a visionary Principal Engineer to join our Cesium Native squad. This role is pivotal in advancing our core C++ libraries that power 3D geospatial applications and experiences within the world's leading game engines. You will be a leading voice in the technical direction of our open-source, cross-platform technology that enables developers to stream and visualize massive real-world 3D datasets.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop and shape the future of the core Cesium Native C++ libraries, focusing on performance, modularity, and clean API design to support our integrations with Unreal Engine, Unity, and NVIDIA Omniverse.
• Drive the research and implementation of novel 3D graphics algorithms, tackling the most challenging problems in large-scale geospatial visualization.
• Enhance our runtimes capabilities for high-performance streaming, level-of-detail selection, and efficient decoding of massive geospatial datasets.
• Profile and debug the engine to identify and eliminate performance bottlenecks, ensuring a smooth experience for end-users on a variety of platforms.
• Set the standard for engineering excellence within the team and the open-source community through exemplary code, insightful reviews, and strategic technical guidance.
• Mentor and grow other senior engineers on the team, fostering a culture of technical innovation and continuous improvement.
• Partner with product management and engineering leadership to define and execute the multi-year technical roadmap for the Cesium Native ecosystem.
• Requires sitting or standing at will while performing work on a computer (or any other physical requirements).
• No travel is required for this role.

Qualifications

• Over 12 years of professional experience in 3D runtime or game engine development.
• Expert-level C++ development skills (C++17/20/23), with a strong focus on API design, modular architecture, and high performance.
• Recognized expertise in modern graphics APIs (Vulkan, DirectX 12, Metal) and advanced 3D graphics algorithms.
• Proven experience leading the technical design and implementation of core engine components for platforms like Unreal Engine, Unity, or NVIDIA Omniverse.
• Solid understanding of graphics algorithms, spatial data structures, and 3D mathematics.
• Experience debugging, profiling, and optimizing complex, multi-threaded graphics applications.
• Familiarity with geospatial concepts and data formats such as photogrammetry, point clouds, terrain, and open standards like glTF and 3D Tiles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience collaborating with both internal teams and external communities.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams and effectively mentor other senior engineers.
• BS or MS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.

What We Offer

• Step into a collaborative work environment where ideas flourish, and teamwork propels us forward towards shared success.
• An attractive salary and benefits package.
• Bentley Impact Day: take a day off from work to volunteer with an organization of your choice.
• Celebrate milestone achievements and moments that matter through our colleague recognition award programs and our Bentley Achievers platform.
• A commitment to inclusion, belonging and colleague wellbeing through global initiatives and resource groups.
• Be part of a company committed to making a real difference by advancing the world’s infrastructure for better quality of life, where your contributions help build a more sustainable, connected, and resilient world.
• Discover our latest user success stories for an insight into our global impact.

Equal Opportunity Employer

• Bentley is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, pregnancy, protected veteran status, religion, national origin, age, genetic information or any other protected characteristic.
• This commitment extends to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, compensation, and training.
• Know Your Rights as an applicant under the law.
• Bentley Policy on EEO, Affiant Action and Pay Transparency Non-Discrimination.
• Bentley participates in e-Verify / Bentley participate in e-Verify / Right to Work Notice.
• Request an Accommodation: As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Bentley is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
• We encourage you to request a reasonable accommodation if you are not able to fully use or access our online application system.
• You can make an accommodation request by calling 610-458-5000 or sending us an email at [e-mail].

Who We Are

Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY) is the infrastructure engineering software company.

We provide innovative software to advance the world’s infrastructure – sustaining both the global economy and environment.

Our industry-leading software solutions are used by professionals, and organizations of every size, for the design, construction, and operations of roads and bridges, rail and transit, water and wastewater, public works and utilities, buildings and campuses, mining, and industrial facilities.

Our offerings, powered by the iTwin Platform for infrastructure digital twins, include MicroStation and Bentley Open applications for modeling and simulation, Seequent’s software for geoprofessionals, and Bentley Infrastructure Cloud encompassing ProjectWise for project delivery, SYNCHRO for construction management, and AssetWise for asset operations.

Bentley Systems’ 5,200 colleagues generate annual revenues of more than $1 billion in 194 countries.